ACC basketball standings: Clemson continues surge as Duke falls

For the first time since mid-January, there’s a tie atop the ACC men’s basketball standings.

The 19th-ranked Clemson Tigers‘ latest victory came Saturday night in a 77-55 rout of the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. Clemson won its 20th game of the season by picking up 13 points apiece from senior RJ Godfrey and freshman Ace Buckner, and 11 each from big men Jake Wahlin and Carter Welling.

Advertisement

The Tigers made 55 percent of their shots from the field and knocked down 12 of their 26 shots from beyond the arc. The defense, which ranked 12th nationally in fewest points allowed per game (64.5) this season entering the night, held the Golden Bears to 40 percent shooting.

Clemson’s win moved the Tigers into a first-place tie with the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC.

The Tigers have won 13 of their last 14 games since overcoming a Dec. 9 loss to BYU at Madison Square Garden in New York. Clemson now won 14 straight ACC road games, which ties for the second-longest streak in league history. It’s also the longest streak among active teams.

After the game, Brownell called the Tigers’ victory one of the best overall wins this season.

Advertisement

“Great win by our team,” Brownell said. “I thought we played exceptionally well defense, especially at the end of the first half. Last 10 or 12 or maybe 15 minutes was probably as good as it has been all year. Then obviously we did a good job of making shots. You make 12 3’s, and you don’t do that all the time. That really energizes you a little bit.

“I thought we played one of our best games of the year today, and probably needed it on both ends to win.”

Meanwhile, No. 4 Duke fell to No. 18 North Carolina in a thriller in Chapel Hill when Seth Trimble hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left for a 71-68 Tar Heels win. The latest chapter in the Duke-Carolina rivalry was the first loss in conference play this season for coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils.

That puts Clemson and Duke on a collision course for ACC supremacy. While both teams face competition in midweek action with the Tigers hosting Virginia Tech and the Blue Devils playing at Pittsburgh, Clemson and Duke are set to square off Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

Advertisement

Tipoff for Clemson-Duke is scheduled for noon ET on Feb. 14. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Duke’s loss was a big shot in the arm for rival UNC, which had already suffered two losses in conference play entering the night. And it kept Virginia and NC State right behind the Blue Devils and Clemson in the standings.

Here’s a look at the full ACC standings after Week 14 of the 2025-26 men’s basketball season.

ACC basketball standings by conference record, win percentage: Clemson ties Duke